Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille has hit back at the DA for an announcement, after her most recent court victory, that her role would merely be that of a “ceremonial mayor”.
De Lille was responding to the DA’s court papers, in a scathing affidavit filed with the Western Cape High Court.
On 11 May the same court reinstated De Lille to her position as executive mayor pending the outcome of the legal battle between her and the DA, expected this Friday.
Reacting to the court’s judgement, DA deputy chairperson, Natasha Mazzone, said: “De Lille will now act in only a ceremonial role, with substantive governance decisions to be taken by the DA caucus in the interests of the people of Cape Town.”
De Lille said these comments “were calculated to mislead the public with unnecessary spin-doctoring but also to undermine the effectiveness of the court’s judgement and order”.
The DA had used an obscure clause in its constitution to interpret an interview De Lille gave to talk radio host Eusebius McKaiser on 26 April effectively amounted to a resignation.
De Lille is challenging the constitutionality of the clause.
She said the DA was being “disingenuous” as it left out important parts of the interview.
“Even a reasonable person would not abruptly switch off the radio at a point convenient to the DA or shut his or her ears at the right places,” said De Lille.
She also asked why the membership of DA MP Phumzile van Damme was not terminated after she stated she would resign from the DA if it did not engage white privilege and black poverty.